PFAS pollution in Flemish tap water

PFAS pollution in Flemish tap water: political silence worsens the crisis

01.03.2025 | Fundamental right

The presence of PFAS in Flemish tap water raises serious questions about public health and the responsibility of policy makers. While scientific insights into the harmful effects of this 'forever chemicals' is becoming increasingly clear, the political response remains lukewarm and inadequate.

Recent research shows that in half of Flanders' tap water is supplied with too high a concentration of PFASAlthough these chemicals do not directly cause acute poisoning, they build up in the body and can lead to serious health problems, such as hormone disruption, damage to liver function and an increased risk of cancer.

Despite these disturbing facts, the responsible politicians and government agencies remain conspicuously silent. Yet they play a key role: they are involved in the intermunicipal water companies, they grant permits to polluting industries, and they determine the standards for our drinking water. The lack of transparency and decisiveness is therefore not only problematic, but potentially dangerous for public health.

Intercommunales and the drinking water system: an opaque structure

Flanders has six major intermunicipal drinking water companies, under which The Water Group, Pidpa, Water-link and FarysThese companies supply water to households throughout the region, with some also importing their drinking water from Wallonia or Brussels.

However, intermunicipal companies operate largely out of public view. Municipalities send representatives to the administrative councils, but often have little control over policy. The Flemish government only exercises limited supervisionThis makes it difficult to intervene when problems arise, such as the structural PFAS pollution which is now coming to light.

In addition, these inter-municipal companies are put under pressure to to distribute as much profit as possible to municipalities, which leads to financial problems. In 2018, the debt burden of supra-municipal associations was to be much higher than those of the municipalities themselvesPaying dividends to municipalities means that investments in water purification and infrastructure are often put on the back burner, while consumers are left paying for higher water bills.

The impact of this is now visible: citizens pay the price for pollution, while the industry responsible for the discharge of PFAS remains largely unscathed.

Who pays the PFAS bill? Not the polluter, but the user

The principle 'the polluter pays' is hardly applied in Flanders. Although chemical companies and industrial polluters are responsible for the emission of PFAS, the costs of water purification are passed on to the consumer.

The PFAS pollution in drinking water means that water companies have to invest in advanced filtration systems to keep concentrations below the standard. These additional costs are not recovered from the industry, but on the water users. The consumer therefore pays twice: first with his health, and then via a higher water bill.

This is all the more poignant given that Flemish politics is keeping its distance from stricter legislation and the discharge standards are barely tightenedIt is a system in which economic interests weigh more heavily than public health.

Political responsibility: permits and missing actions

In addition to their involvement in the inter-municipal companies, politicians play a direct role in the pollution problem. They issue permits to chemical companies, allowing them to release their waste into the environment. The same policymakers are responsible for the environmental standards that determine what is considered safe – and in the case of PFAS, those standards appear to be very debatable.

It 3M scandal in Zwijndrecht, in which high concentrations of PFAS were dumped in the soil and groundwater for years, led to the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry committee. But although civil servants were tackled, those responsible for politics remained out of rangeThis fits into a pattern where policy makers systematically underestimate the seriousness of chemical pollution or ignore.

It Flemish government agreement speaks about a PFAS action plan, but explicitly adds that the health and safety of citizens must be protected in a manner that does not hinder the realisation of industrial projectsIn practice this means that economic growth outweighs environmental protection, and that the industry is in fact given carte blanche to continue polluting.

The Oosterweel works and PFAS: remediation or environmental relaxation?

The PFAS problem is also visible in the Eastern Weel WorksThe remediation of contaminated soil in and around Antwerp appears to be too expensive, which is why the government seeks solutions that are less strict. In concrete terms this means that environmental standards are being relaxed instead of maintained.

Also the construction sector recently expressed concerns about PFAS regulations. An industry representative stated that the regulations “unrealistically strict” is and does not take into account the high population density in FlandersThis suggests that one is advocating for more flexible standards, despite the finding that PFAS pose a serious threat to public health.

PFAS and TFA: the urgency of a ban

The harmful effects of PFAS have been scientifically proven, and yet the Flemish government continues reserved in her approachWhile stricter measures are being taken in Wallonia and France, Flanders continues to hide behind European guidelines.

Some parties, such as Forward, meanwhile advocate a ban on PFAS and TFA-containing pesticides. This is a step in the right direction, but without decisive action the problem will remain. If Flanders really wants to work on a healthy living environment, it must focus on:

• Stricter discharge standards for the industry
• Full transparency on water quality and PFAS concentrations
• Abolition of subsidies for polluting companies
• A tax on pollution instead of an increase in water bills for citizens

Conclusion: no action means a 'forever problem'

Without a radical change of course, PFAS will remain a constant threat for Flanders. Science is crystal clear about the risks, but politics remains hesitant. If stricter measures are not taken, the problem will continue to pile up – in the water, in the environment, and in our bodies. The Flemish government has the opportunity to set an example and healthier future to guarantee for its citizens. The only question is: do you choose public health or industry?

The clock is ticking, and without immediate action, PFAS will not only remain a 'forever chemical', but also a forever problem.

SOURCE:

https://apache.be/2025/03/01/daarom-zwijgen-politici-over-pfas-watergate